Automobile disposal and withdrawal structure



Nov. 18, 1930. w. .1. PORTER AUTOMOBILE DISPOSAL AND WITHDRAWAL STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 14, 1928 :5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORN EY Nov. 18, 1930. w. J. PORTER 1,781,955

AUTOMOBILE DISPOSAL AND WITHDRAWAL STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 14, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 m INVENTOR I ATTORNEY Nov. 18, 1930. w. J. PORTER 1,781,955

' AUTOMOBILE DISPOSAL AND WITHDRAWAL STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 14, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 lNVENTOR 7 Jifii wr aim/7 ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 18 1 930;

WI IAIAMPJ. "POR ER; or SP KANE, wg siiiiwem oir '1 AUToMo iLE'msposAL AND 1 w wi pnmmnasmiweinimn Q I The obj ect of thisiinveiifiion is to iirev ide V a novel =vfpr mi0f ster a ge disp saL and Withdrawal'stnuctureforautemobiles. d

l l e invention in saidaisle to convey, cars to" and item storage 10 chs esal,

ne 10f thefeatures of the 'iiiventienhis' to 7 provide guide rails vertieally zilong the fac jug-edges Of'thQflOQlSfthG platform having eelengabed shoes adzi-ptediao be spread iiito l mld:,zout of-ei ggigement withsa'id mils .to .retard'and'arrest th e ipli tffOl l li.

A feature of the inveiition resides riliieans for 0pera-ting1the shqes in suehh :manner' that I when the platform is j advaiieii g. either towardv er from a loading positidmjche shoes and when it is desired to 'a rrest er retard the platform, and alse to held it in eposition ,f

,of regist-rywith pertain (if the fiooi's, the shoes will be engz ged with tl iedrgiils' for the performanee QIESUChZ fHHCtiOn S. A f 'irthei feefiure i'esidesfin equipping the V i ph tformlwith;a plii fahty df .'\\"hee1wguiding- "tracks, whereby either"al plui'siiit foi one ear '3:.suchtiiieksioiisaidfiedrs f. The, intent-i011 has many. ether feat-ufesbif novelty wh-iehwi7i111be. more fully* described in connection with the waeco'nipinyihg d'riui ings and which :Wiihbe: mere pa itieiila fly' I Qflpiiinfc'ed (iiihiirand 'z ppeiided lclaims,

fstidigige structure. eii bddying the preferred V Fig. 2, is ."absecltioiial, iew on line 2-1-20f E gl'il, on an veiilaiged' sealel I volves opposed benksqf ,isupenposed floorslspeeed to form aninfii veningyaisleyzind;eagh ifloor being-[designed to receive ears to be stored, a" car carrying ;platfoi mgbeing-mbvable up. anddownialollg 1m: notibompletelyi t eme:

s Ya hbrizohtitl SeCbiQiDklli View 'oii V a ed .secfioiiel jview "Of I f v f reference, designate t st shew-njin'myep iieat snpfilea septem v beij12, 1922s., Eerie No. 305,433 endi iflthe hdiisifil l fha ilejshoiwn leterallyl disposed in I gres sia egre pe gm and which my begef Width,"f ujacq ilbd it w ig r if will be out 10f eonteet-withlthe giiideirails; Q

s rage floe s'=itei minategatt e lateral iindatie pfthe, isle G4 I pief er'eblylequip 9 @110 i h h 61i id g .4 inch-extend towal d the edges 11 jeute'riiends {if j s'aid' tracks} in Q11 i015 Of" e'zieh bankiiherei isle leng l d rack 1111 u regihdth ibughbut theh'eight ss lfhu ibgwillheplear'ihatz-theifiajcin "i ,;;ofit heba1iksni superposed' within the skill of the construction engineer.

The tracks and 21 extend the full length of the aisle C and the crane 22 is provided with a suitable motor 23 which maybe oper- 'at-ively connected in any desired manner (not shown)fto advance the crane in either direction lengthwise-- of the aisle C. Elevating and lowering cables24, four in number, are

suspended from the crane 22 and the'latter is provided with suitable means, such as the motor 23, for paying in and paying out said cables24 to elevate ,orJlower'a car carrying platform 25, to which each cable 24 is suit- 7 ably connected at. acornerof said-platform,

as clearly shown in Fig. I; hav e shown cord 27, to cause its advance in another direction, cord 28,-.t0 cause ascent and cord29 i to cause descento'f the platform 25.

' I have shownvertically disposed guide rails 30 and 3ldisposed equidistantly along'the facing edges of the floors and saidtrails may be. disposed between each pairof tracks 13 and 14', orin any such adjacency as toenable themto perform theirffunctions.

T as will permit movement of said platform amply free} from' contact with rails 30. and 31, when desired, 'as' will p resently appear. 7 The width of the platform 25, from flanges 4 .34'to.34,'is'sufiicient to accommodate'two cars 'Reference'will' next jbemade to imp rovet l car carrying platform whichis more particularly sliown'inFig's. 2 to 5,

While this platform may be fabricated in any desired manner, I have shown the same havinga flat top;32 with depending flanges 33, at its ends, and like depending flanges34,

.at its sides. The length of said 'platform'is such as to receive any length of car and the proportions-are "such that a clearance is afforded between the'end'flanges 33, andthe edges 11 and 12,1 of the floors 9 and 10, such as a'maximunr'capacity, and as will later appear, will also accommodate 011mm, and

oisi in either event, the cars will be in substantially balanced relation onthe platform." However, before entering intoithi's' phase of the inventi'omit is desired to point out that with the four supporting cables 24, attached to the corners of the platform 25', andwith-- ,these cablesin such considerable spacedrela 5v 5 1 or loaded, will have a prepon'deranttendency to hold the platform againstsway-in either} direction. 1 Thus; it will be clear that the V ma e 22 canbe advanced, after a gentle; start,

tion, theweight of the platform, either empty and rapid rate oftravel and the platform can be {elevated or loweredeven' as the crane is advancing the platform 'along the aisle Q.

Reference willrnext' be made to [my im normal r-service mefansfor coaction V V V i a All of'said' tracks are alike'in structure,

An operating rock shaft 35 which is shown journalled in pendant bearings 36, hungfrom the bottom of the platform 25. Arm bosses.

37 and 38 aresuitably fixed on shaft 35 and each has an upwardly extending arm 39. and

40, respectively, and lower arms 41 and 42,

respectively. Operating links 43 and 44 arepivoted to arms 39 and 40, respectively, and like links 45 and 46 are pivoted to the lower arms 41 and 42, respectively, as clearly shown in Figs4fand 5. Guidinglthrust shafts '47 and 48 are slidably mounted in depending bearings 49 and 50, respectively, which are hung fromthe platform 25. Links 43 and 44 are 'pivotally connected* with said shafts. Similar shafts 51 and52 are slidably mounted in bearings 53 and54, respectively, which are hung from platform 25. An elongated shoe 55, having inwardly bent ends'55, is rigidlymounted onshafts 47 and48. A similar shoe 56, isrigidly' mounted on shafts 51 and52. I

It will thus beseen that when theshaft 35 is rocked in different directions the shoes 55 and 56 will either be contracted away from and 48, and 51 and of relatively enlarged size sothat they will not only function to sup port and guide the shoes, but they'will also a be capableof taking the end thrust that may be imposed upon the shoes when the latter function to arrest the platform.

' As a means of actuating or rocking shaft35, I have shown a lever 57, 'having a boss 58, suitably fixed on shaft 35, said lever extending upwardly through a'slot 59, in platform25.

By'shifting'said lever in either of two direcclearly shown in Fig. 7. 7 Thus, after the lever 35 islocked, the'operator will be free to move the cars onto or off fromtheplatform.

V I will next'describe the means whereby either a plurality or a single car canberun onto'or ofi' from the elevatingplatform and 7 wherein'i-in either event','the caror cars will be injsubstantially balanced relation to the platform; ,7 I

Referring more particularly to 'Figs; 3 and 4, I have shown a pair or set ofguide tracks 61,"on one side'of the longitudinal center of ice the platformi25, and a set 62, on the opposite fsijdei'of the longitudinal center thereof;- l

Thcsesetsof tracks are employed'where two,

cars are to be loaded onto the platform. thirdset of tracks 63 areidisposed in interme diate'relation' to the remaining sets of tracks",

as will be seen by reference-to the figures notedl and the cross sectional form thereof clearly shown in Fig: 8,- which is drawn to a scale of one quarter of an inch to thefoot; Thus it will be seen that {these-tracks are provided with flanges on opposite sides which are in: the-form -of a gentle roll 64, the, intermediate portionv6'5 of which may befiat, or substantia llyso, thereby embodyingthe general ."for'lnof achannel-cross"section. It is well known that cars have diflerenti wheel gages and that. in some makes the 'rearwheels are disposed at a wider or greatergage than the front wheelsp'Atja-ny event; this wide chan-' 'nelway is designed to meet all such mm.

tion of gages irrespective of the difi'erent sized tires- In practice ,fthe=flanges or rolls f64, maybeone foot apart] Of course these 7 structure and function, only two need badedetail, reference being to V tracks 61-, 62 and'63 willlbevrigidly anchored V to the'platform in any desired manner;

At each end of each' of said tracks,- I have. provided an extension, and as all are alike in Assumingthat the track shown therein is track 63, the ends of which terminate close to the'cnds of'the platform 25, itwill beseen that said'end's-are chamferedat 66 "and that an end sectionsor extension section 67,: 'is' hinged thereto at 68 Thus, while the-plate form is being advanced,-these endsections are retracted or tiltedupwardly, as shownin said" figure. However, in loading or unloading a car, said extensions 67 areswung outwardly as shown at the right of FigarQi," to spanthe spacebetween the end of the platformv and the'inner edge of the corresponding floor onto 9 or 10, wherethe tracks 13 and 14 terminate V V spaced soas' to always; bringthe twov sets of;

to provide supporting. shoulders or spaces.

It will now'heclear. from referencelto Fig.

i thatI have loeatedthe': shoes 55' 'and 56'in such novel relation to theplatform as to af- V -ford a disposition of theex tensions 67in the '"manner just described. 1 l 5.:

I'will next describe the novelt'y: and impo'r-- ta'nce'of the specific location of; the tracks on thelplatform."

i The problem ipresentednot; a V accommodation for-either aplurality or one car. on the platform,- but {it also involves the a accomplishment of thlSpPIQVlSIOIiQWltllOUt -IO nthoughiaglighflyjless speed of vane: m y e needlessly reducing the storage capacity of the floors 9 and 10. I It will bee noted that the tracks 13 and'14 are as closely spacedfa's pose sible in order to 'allo w. forjthe necessary, clear;

ance between adjacent cars. It will also be noted that the tracks on the-platform: are

tracks 61 and 62 into registry with two sets of-,,tr,aCkSz i1 3- o ral4, yso-that without shifting 1 the platform 2e,;from theiposition;shownin Fig gftwo cars couldbe simultaneously loaded or unloaded-.l 'lhis results from'the 7 feet thati-the gagefof the platform-tracks'is the same as the gage of the floor tracks; Now

three or more sets oftracks,equally spacedf i would not only unduly enlarge the sideofthe platform 25,--but it would render it unwieldly in the event that [onlyasi'ngle :car was to be stored 'orpwithdrawn' j since 'the cost @of, such single trip for one'car would be-equal to a like trip fora plurality of cars. Thereform' by disposing the tracks 63, in intermediate position,that'-is, between the outermost tracks I i .61 and 62, I am enabledwith arelatively small J size platform to accommodate' either a plur'al1ty'of-carsor a s nglecar.

" Itwilllieturthernoted that'when a single 7 car is carried, it willbe centrally disposed V with respecttothe "longitudinal axis" of the plat-formfwherebyfa balanced relationis afforded'.

Likewise, when two c ars vare carried; the a weight is "substantially equally; balanced Vibecause thecarsare equidistantly disposed'on opposite sidesozf thelongitudinal axis ofthe platform. It will of course be understood that the difference in weight-oftwo cars need not beconsidered as I am not, herein dealing with anything like a precision balanced problem, and the elevating cables-.24 are so widely spaced that such difference in weight would not be. appreciable,i in arr-apparatus of this kind.-

.Whilein practice, it will areas t done, still, it is clearly possible toglo'ad'or unload a single car oneither set oftheplurality of. individual sets-of tracks 61110 62, whenit is necessary'tojreachfan endniostxpairiof 7 tracks 13 or 14, that is, such tracks'located at an extreme end of the structure, --Thus',.with V the present disposition ofinterpositionedo sets 0t tracks on the platform,"this canbe done, and there will} only bega' minimum of wastespacezatithe-endofth'e struoturesince 7 Y the platform can readily 1 reach such, endmost tracks with either set otplattorm tracks 61 It will nowbeclearthat while there are clear advantages to the balanced relation fea'- ture whichhas been'described, and with this feature. utilized, the speed of advanceof the I; platform can be; with safety-increased, still; the. platform is clearly and safely operable with a-single car 'disposedon either, 'tracksifil fr quenvuees, a a

are I desirablein; such relatively in reference to Fig. 3,it will be notedlth'at the length thei-shoe'si5l5lal ld 5is such, with I respect to the disposition of;' .the gui'de erails 30 and 31, shoes twill always be ab'rea'st of or in engagementwithatl east two", of such railsgmiiboth sidesiofthe intervening aisle, 1 and asishoiyn in F 3,;said shoes will? alsosidewis'e.

pendently of cbut or like elevatorand of course the shoes and 56 would in some measure supplement this anchorage. However,'the main function of the shoes-is to afford brakageand also to hold the platform securely against sway or any movement from a'position of track registry. Thus, the shoes will not only prevent movement of the platform. endwise but In straight *ertical ascent orddescent, the shoes 55 and 56 will be, inmost nstances, completelyiretracted, as'shown 1n F 1g. 5.

Further, the shoes need not be employed for brakage'in such ascent-or descent as such movement W111 be controlled'from' the crane However, when the platform'is advancing lon itudinall -j 0f the aisle C the crane D Y a required. -However,the important factis that there will be enoughfreedom of movement of the-platform so that the latter cansway ever so slightly, as a'body will that is freely suspended, and stillnot engage said rails 30 and 31. It is by reason ofthis freedom of said platform that I will, in practice, he

' able to advance the same sorapidly and with an'entire absence of frictional resistance at points below the crane 22. Again, I willas sert the importance ofthe widelyspaced cables 2-1 that greatly aids this character of performance. a

e In advance of the platform longitudiinilly of the aisle C, the shoes may be spread into slight or near contact with the rails 30 and 31 and this spreading movement maybe in creased as the platform approaches registry.

with the selected floor tracks'and finally-increased as the position of registry has finally been attained. Thus, the "shoes, in addition to the crane, constitute controlling means for the platform. Thus the shoes can be brought into play to retard the platform in anydirec tion of movement of thelatter by its actuat ing means and hence the shoes can actv indein: general synchronism with said means. After the platform has reached a position of registry,the wedge 60 may be inserted and the lever 57 locked in its adjusted position. I e i 7 It will now be clear how-the platform may be lowered into receiving'relation with themgress and egress passage waysS and 7, to dispose withdrawn carsin a position for egress from the platform and permit of loading cars onto any of the tracks of the platform. After loading, the .platformwill be advanced into a registering position with any of .the tracks on the floors fordisposalpurposes- If desired, the tracks on the floors may beomitied,

as shown, in Fig. 5, and still be within the per view of the invention.

It 1s believed-that the -1nvent1ojn will be understood from the foregoing description,

and while. I have herein shown and describedfl one specific form of the invention, I do not w1sh to be limited thereto except for such limitations as the'claims may import.

' I; claim:

.1. In an auton'lobile sto 'agediispos'al and withdrawal structure, opposed banks of fioorsfspaced to form an intervening therebetween, vertically disposed .gluide on the facing sideof said floors, acar carr 111g platform movable in.-.saidaislediagonally,

vertically and horizontally thereof and have 1 ing elongated shoes, andmeansforspreading said shoes'against said mails to control or arrest'said platform or contracting-said shoes away from said rails to perniit free movementfof saidsplatform between said rails;

2. In-an. automobile storage disposal and withdrawalstructure, opposed banks of floors spacedto form-an intervening aisle therebetweemhvertically disposed guide mile on the facing. sides of said'floors,a car carrying platform, an overhead crane connected with said platform to advance the latter vertically, horizontally orfdia-gonally in'said aisle, elongated shoes for said platform, and means for retracting said shoes while saidplatform is-be'ingadvanced-and spreading said shoes toretard or arrest said against said rails platform; 1 A

In an automobile-storage disposal. and

withdrawal structure, opposed banks of superposed floors spaced to form an intervening aisle therebetween, verticallydisposed guide rails along the facingedges of s" 'd floors, a car carrying platform between 1d rails'and in spacedrelation thereto, an oven head crane travelling longitudinally of'said aisle, elevating. and lowering cables depending from said crane and connected withcon ner' portions of said platform to suspend the latter: substantially equi-distantly from said HIT rails while saidplat'form is in motion Ol" at rest, elongated horizontally disposed shoes on saidxplatform for engagement with said rails andmeans for retracting said shoes away from' said ralls while-said platform is advancingand spreading said shoes against said'rails to either retard,arrest', or lock said platform.- 'f i p 4. Inan automobilefstorage disposal and withdrawal structure, opposed banks f of superposed floors spaced to form an intervening aisle therebetween,vertically disposed guide rails on the facing edges of said floors, a car carrying platform between said rails, means for elevating of lowering said platform vertically or diagonally along said aisle and advancing said platform longitudinally thereof, an actuating rock shaft mounted on gagement with said rails and having guiding thrust shafts, bearings on said platform in whereby a plurality of cars canibe guided thereby, and said platform having a single set of tracks inter'positionedwith respect to said first named sets of car guiding tracks whereby a single'car can be'gu'ided by the latter.

I IIVWILIJIAM J. PORTER,

which said shafts arelongitudinally slidable, said rock shaft having oppositely extending arms, and links pivotally connected with said shafts and arms, whereby said shoes may be retracted from said rails or spread into engagement therewith.

5. In an automobile storage disposal or withdrawal structure, opposeda banks ,of superposed floors spaced to form an inter Vening aisletherebetween, said floors having car guiding tracks extending'toward said aisle, a car carrying platform; means for moving said platform longitudinally andvertically in saidaisle, guide rails extending vertically along the facing edges of'said V V floors, shoes on said platform, IHBHJJSIEOI engaging said shoes with said rails. to arrest said platform, said platform having two sets of car guiding tracks adapted to register. V with the tracks of said floors whereby two p cars can be carried by said platform in balanced relation, and said platform having a a i single pair of car guiding tracks disposed in intermediate relation to said pair of tracks whereby a single car can be carried in balanced relation on said platform.

6. In an automobile storage disposal or 'witl drawal structure, opposed banks of superposed floors spaced to form an intervenmg aisle therebetween, said floors having car' guiding tracks extending toward said aisle and in as closely spaced relation laterally as'possible to afford lateral clearance between parallel cars, acar carrying platform movable longitudinally and Vertically in said spaced to register with any adjacent tracks aisle, said platform having a pair of tracks of said floors whereby two cars can be carried on said platform and siniufltaneously" un- I loaded onto a flooriwith the platform in one position or whereby two cars canbe loaded onto said platform from a floor with the" platform in one position, and said platform having a single pair of tracks centrally disposed between the outermost of said pair of tracks,'whereby'a singlecar can be carried on said platform.

7. In an automobile storage disposal or withdrawal structure, opposed banks of superposed floors spaced to form an inter- 'vening aisle therebetween, a car carrying platform movable longitudinally and vertically in said aisle and having a plurality I of individual sets of car guiding tracks a In wi'tnessjwhereof,*I have liereunto set my hand. said car, shoes on said car adapted for en-i- I 

